


More than a Helping Hand

by Trebleclefstories



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Best Friends, Emerald City Bar | Joe's Bar (Grey's Anatomy), F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fanfiction, Friends to Lovers, I Watched Too Much Grey's Anatomy, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Inspired by Grey's Anatomy, Protective Alex Karev, Season 9, jolex, jolex endgame
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:28:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27645497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trebleclefstories/pseuds/Trebleclefstories
Summary: “Just pretend to be my date.”“What exactly is this between us?”“I think I’m in love with you and that terrifies me.”“I know you want me just as much as I want you.”“Take off your clothes.”-- or --A Two-Part Season 9 AU where Jason Myers doesn’t exist
Relationships: Alex Karev & Jo Wilson Karev, Alex Karev/Jo Wilson Karev
Comments: 12
Kudos: 35
Collections: The Group Chat's Fics





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Hope you enjoy this little two-shot that I've been working on :)
> 
> P.S. - Please ignore my typos lol

“I need your help!”

Alex made a face as he was ripped away from the conversation he was having with a hot girl at the bar, “What the hell?”

“I need your help,” Jo looked up at him with wide eyes.

“What’s going on?” Alex asked, getting concerned as to what had her so frantic.

“You see that guy over there?” Jo pointed to a man who’d just walked into Joe’s bar. “He’s radiologist at the hospital. He asked me to go out on a date with him tonight two days ago, and I said no because I already had plans with my boyfriend. So, I need you to be my boyfriend for now.”

“What? No. Absolutely not,” Alex shook his head. “I was working on getting laid tonight. If I pretend to be your boyfriend, no one will sleep me. And that’ll be like the sixth time you’ve cock-blocked me since we started being friends.”

“Alex, come on. Please,” Jo looked up at him with what could only be called puppy dog eyes. “If he comes over here, which I’m pretty sure he will, he can’t see me alone. All you gotta do is wrap your arm around me or give me a kiss on the cheek. Nothing too fancy. _Just pretend to be my date._ ”

Alex let out a frustrated sigh, “Fine. But you owe me. Big time. Gimme money to go buy some drinks.”

“I’ve gotta pay for the drinks? What happened to being a gentleman,” Jo asked.

“I am being a gentleman,” Alex stuck his hand out. “Would a non-gentleman sacrifice his evening plans to help his friend avoid some dude? I don’t think so. Pay up.”

Jo grumbled as she took a twenty dollar bill from her pocket, “Here. And make sure to give me the change.”

Almost as soon as Alex left to get their drinks, Jo was joined at the table. Sure enough, the guy from radiology was standing in front of her, “Hey, Jo. How are you doing?”

“Garret,” Jo flashed a fake smile. “I’m great.”

“Oh, that’s good,” Garret nodded. “I didn’t expect to see you here tonight. You know, since you blew me off and said you were hanging out with your boyfriend.”

“I am with my boyfriend,” Jo narrowed her eyes a bit. “Not that I owe you an explanation, but we came out for drinks. He’s at the bar getting them now.

“Really,” Garret looked unconvinced. “Which one is he?”

Jo pointed at Alex who had just turned around with their drinks in hand, “Him.”

“Karev?” Garret raised his eyebrows. “You’re going out with him? You could do much better.”

“What, like you?” Alex said, startling Garret who had not realized how quickly he’d walked over. “Look man, I don’t have any issue with you, but I’d appreciate it if you stopped hitting on my girlfriend.”

Garret huffed and looked at Jo with disapproval in his eyes as he walked away. Alex sat down across from Jo and handed her a beer, “You know, I see why you said no. He’s kind of a douche. Also, no offense to the guy, but you’re way out of his league.”

Jo chuckled and took a swig of her beer, “Thanks. I appreciate it. Didn’t want to get caught up in a lie you know.”

“We’re gonna have to keep it up, though. He works in the hospital and we’ll probably run into him at some point while working on a case,” Alex pointed out.

“Dammit, I didn’t think of that... it’s okay. We’re always together anyway. We can just say we’re not big on PDA in the hospital,” Jo shrugged.

“Well, you might want to engage in some now because I can feel him staring at us,” Alex motioned behind him where Jo had a view of Garret staring daggers at the back of Alex’s head.

“Crap, you’re right,” Jo got up from her side of the booth and moved to sit next to Alex. She grabbed her beer and moved his arm around her shoulders. “There. Now maybe he’ll stop staring.”

“Highly doubt that,” Alex shook his head.

“Whatever... this isn’t too weird right?” Jo asked shyly.

“Why would it be weird?” Alex gave her a strange look.

“No reason,” Jo shrugged. “It’s just... we’re never this close in front of so many people. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable.”

“I’m fine,” Alex assured. “Really. It’s kind of nice actually.”

“Okay. Good,” Jo exhaled. They sat in silence for a while before she spoke again. “I’m sorry I keep cock-blocking you.”

“No you’re not,” Alex stated.

“Yes I am!”

“No,” Alex shook his head. “You aren’t getting any so, subconsciously you feel the need to keep me from getting any that way you don’t feel left out.”

“Since when did you become a psychiatrist?” Jo glared.

“Gotta keep up with all the latest psych research considering my best friend is a case study,” Alex brought his beer up to his lips.

“Hey!”

“What?” Alex shrugged. “It’s true. You’re kind of a mess, but so am I, and that’s why we get along.”

“Fair enough,” Jo conceded. She looked around the room for a moment before standing up and extending her hand to Alex. “Come on. Let’s play darts. If you win, I’ll buy the drinks next time we go out. If I win, you have to buy some more pillows for the couch so I don’t have a stiff neck every time I crash at your place.”

Alex reached out to grab Jo’s hand and let her lead him to the dart board. They played best two out of three and Jo won, meaning that Alex would have to go buy some more pillows for his couch. His rolled his eyes at her little victory dance and laughed when she bragged about her win to the bartender.

He made sure to stay close to her at all times while at the bar. He could feel that douche from radiology glaring at them basically all night. He didn’t like him. Something about that guy, Garret or whatever his name was, didn’t sit well with him. He didn’t like that this guy looked at Jo like she was a piece of meat. Alex made sure to keep Jo within a couple feet from him, especially since she was starting to get tipsy. He knew how she could get once she had too much alcohol in her system and he needed to make sure she got home safely. Well if they were being honest, to his house safely, because like most nights out she would probably crash on his couch tonight.

“Come on Hobo Jo,” Alex placed his arm around her shoulders. “Let’s get out of here. Your douche-bag radiologist is kind of freaking me out. He keeps looking at you and I don’t know how I feel about it.”

“Look at you, taking your role seriously and playing the protective boyfriend,” Jo awed.

“This is definitely not me playing the protective boyfriend,” Alex shook his head. “It’s me wanting to get away from that creep and keeping up your story. Let’s go.”

“Fine,” Jo huffed and looked over to where Garret was standing. Sure enough, he was staring at them. She turned back to Alex and grabbed his hand, allowing him to lead her out of the bar.

*****

Throughout the next two weeks, Jo had done a great job at avoiding radiology and Garret as much as possible. She hadn’t run into him again and she was grateful. She didn’t have to cringe as he stared at her creepily. That all was about to change, though.

She was on Alex’s service, and hadn’t even batted an eyelash when he put her on the case of a six year old little girl with cancer in her stomach. Alex had been hoping that multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiation would shrink her Mets enough to perform a complete resection of the tumors. It hadn’t even dawned on her that Garret could be the radiologist that’d be assisting on this case.

Seeing Garret in the doorway of the radiology room, Jo grabbed Alex’s arm and stopped him, “Wait! It’s Garret. The creepy douchebag from the bar. I forgot he worked in radiology and we might end up working with him. I need you to pretend you’re my boyfriend again. If you don’t he’ll know I lied or something and will be all creepy again. He has to believe us.”

“You see, this is why we don’t lie,” Alex shook his head. “You’re lucky I care and that I don’t like that guy.”

“You’re the best!” Jo reached up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and grabbed his hand, leading him inside the radiology suite.

Once inside, Alex and Jo greeted Garret who began to brief them on their patient’s latest images. Jo inched closer to Alex, feeling Garret’s intense gaze on her. Sensing Jo’s discomfort, Alex placed a hand and the small of her back, letting her know that he was there.

“So... you two are still together?” Garret asked.

“Yeah, we are,” Alex scowled at the other man.

“Really? That’s surprising considering I haven’t heard anything around here about you two being a thing. You know how gossip spreads around the hospital,” Garrett’s scrutinizing gaze falling over them.

“Look, man. We don’t owe you or anyone else for that matter, an explanation. You do however, owe it to my patient to get over yourself and do your job. Or I can always request the case to be given to someone else,” Alex challenged. “And I’d really appreciate it if you stopped looking at Jo like she’s a piece of meat.”

By the end of the day, Alex had what seemed to be a permanent scowl etched on his face, “God, I hate that guy. Son of a bitch doesn’t know when to let things go.” Alex stopped to look at Jo, “I don’t want you anywhere near him. I have a really bad feeling about him. Don’t let him corner you or catch you alone.”

“Alex, I’m an intern. I can’t exactly be around someone else at all times. I have a job to do. One that requires me to run around this place,” Jo reminded. It was sweet that Alex cared. Honestly, Jo didn’t feel comfortable being in a room with Garret by herself. She had a history with bad guys and the way Garret had been behaving lately set off all the red flags. “As much as he creeps me out, it’s not like I can stay attached to someone’s hip all day.”

“The hell you can’t. As of right now, you’re on my service until Hunt tells me that I have to let you go so you can spend time on a service other than peds. And since you’ll be on my service, you’ll be attached to my hip. All day, everyday. Got it,” Alex stared at her intensely.

“Fine.”


	2. Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW - Assault

** \--PART 2-- **

Over the next few weeks, Jo and Alex were practically inseparable. Even outside the hospital, it seemed as though they were never apart. They would go to Joe’s after work together, they’d get pizza at the shop down the street from the hospital, Jo crashed on Alex’s couch more than she slept in her own bed, and she showed up to work with him every morning.

People noticed. Lots of people noticed. Alex couldn’t walk into a room with Jo without someone sending a glance their way or whispering quietly about their newfound closeness. And that was basically at all hours of the day because ever since what happened with the creep from radiology, Jo had become a permanent extension of Alex. 

She didn’t mind it. She actually found herself enjoying being in Alex’s company. He was fun and funny, he was thoughtful, and she felt safe with him. That was a huge thing for her. She didn’t think she’d ever felt safe with a man in the past. 

Even though she truly enjoyed his presence, she heard what people were saying about them. Some people called her a whore because she was sleeping with her boss for surgeries. Some thought that she had blackmail on Alex, which was why he was keeping her at a short distance. Others thought Alex was taking advantage of her in some way and coercing her to stay by his side. 

As ridiculous as those might seem, those weren’t the rumors that scared her the most. The rumors that scared her the most were the ones that bordered on the truth—although Jo would never admit it. The ones that said Jo and Alex were together because they were in love. They spent so much time together that feelings developed and so, they decided to go for it. 

Those were the rumors that freaked her out because they’d be true if Jo just got her head out of her ass and told Alex how she felt. She thought about this every single time she heard the whispers and she was getting fed up with it. She couldn’t take hearing another person talk about how cute she and Alex were together because Jo might explode in anger at the fact that she got attached. 

So that’s why when Stephanie finally brought up Jo and Alex’s connection, Jo met her breaking point. Stephanie shook her head. “All I’m saying is that you’ve been spending an awful lot of time with Karev for someone who claims that you’re not seeing each other.”

“Because we’re not,” Jo insisted. This was getting old. She needed to put an end to all of the speculation and rumors before she let everyone’s words get to her head—they were already in her head if she was being honest. As much as she wanted Alex, she knew she couldn’t be with him. He was too good and she was too messed up. “Do you really think I want to be with Alex 24/7? I’m on his service—I’ve been on his service for the past month. He’s my boss and tells me where I need to be so I listen. Yeah we’re friends too, and maybe I basically live on his couch, but that doesn’t mean I have feelings for him. The only reason he’s got me practically tied to him is because I’ve had a couple bad run ins with a guy who freaks me out and Alex is a nice guy. So yeah, I’m tolerating it. Trust me when I tell you, I’d love to get away from him for even just a little while so I could breathe without feeling suffocated.”

“Uh, Jo,” Stephanie’s eyes were wide and she pointed to something behind Jo’s shoulder. 

Jo turned to see Alex standing in the doorway of the supply closet with an unreadable expression on his face. Jo blanched visibly, “Alex.”

“I came to tell you that Hannah Abrams is going in for surgery and was going to tell you to scrub in. But since you feel so suffocated, you can remove Eddie King’s drain and go round on my post-ops. Maybe Edwards will be better company,” Alex ordered coldly and turned out into the hallway. 

Jo stood frozen for a split second before running out behind him, “Alex! Wait, please. Listen to me, I didn’t—“

“Oh, I heard quite enough,” Alex sneered. “I’m sorry I’m so intolerable. I’m sorry that I care enough to have your back when you got yourself into this situation. I try to help you and be nice and be your friend, and this is how you repay me? Well, guess what, you don’t have to worry about apologizing because whatever the hell this is, is over.”

Alex turned away, leaving Jo standing in the middle of the hallway with tears in her eyes as everyone around her whispered about what they’d just witnessed. As if Alex and Jo weren’t already the subject of everyone’s conversations, they’d for sure be talked about now. 

“Jo?” Stephanie called out behind her. “You okay?”

Jo swallowed back some tears and turned to face the wall so she could compose herself. After a few seconds she turned back around, “I’m fine. I need to remove Eddie King’s drain.”

——————

The rest of the day was complete and utter crap. Alex had been avoiding her like the plague, which was problematic considering he was her ride home that night. Jo walked over to the Joe’s bar contemplating whether she should just crash at the hospital. 

Alex was angry. Not at Jo, though. He was angry at himself. Angry for letting himself fall for her. He promised himself he wouldn’t do that again. Not after what happened last time. 

So that’s how he found himself at the bar across the street from the hospital drinking his sorrows away. He struck up a conversation with a young woman he’d never met before and just got through asking her for her phone number in hopes of setting up a date, when Jo came up behind him.

“Alex, please can we talk?”

“I have nothing to say to you,” he glared at Jo. “Now I suggest you leave before I say something we’ll both regret.”

“But you’re my ride—“

“Call a cab!” The frown on Alex’s face deepened. “Leave.”

He watched as Jo bit her lip and swallowed back some tears. It took everything with Alex not to reach out and say something. Instead, he turned back around to the blonde woman in front of him and ignored as Jo walked away. 

Jo walked out of the bar and felt a couple tears slip past her eyelids. At some point it had started raining and Jo found herself standing underneath the steady spray of the rain as she waited for the cab she’d called. 

“I heard about what happened today with you and Karev. You see, I told you it wouldn’t last.”

Jo turned to see Garret grinning smugly as he walked closer to her. He reached out to touch her hair when Jo slapped his hand away, “That wasn’t an invitation. Are we’re not over, just fighting.”

“Really? Because that’s not what it looked like to me. No, it looked like he was setting up a date with that blonde girl he was sitting next to. What a shame really, when he had all this to himself,” Garret ran an offending hand down her arm and gripped at her waist.

Jo pushed him again, “Get the hell off of me.”

“No can do sweetheart. I’ve been waiting too long for this.”

The next few minutes were a blur as Jo fought against Garret’s grimy hands and did her best to remove herself from between the wall and his grasp. She’d just landed a nasty punch on Garret’s face when she felt his body swiftly be pulled from hers. 

“Get the hell off of her,” Alex growled and pinned the other man to the wall by the collar. “You’re going to leave here and you’re never going to come back. Or I’m going to tell Hunt what kind of guy you are and report you to the police. They don’t hire many doctors with criminal records.” Alex released him, “Leave. I don’t ever want to see you again. Go tell Hunt you resign, because I swear to God if I see you again I will let her beat the crap out of you and I won’t be here to stop her.”

Garret rubbed his jaw in pain where Jo had landed her punch, “Fine. I’m leaving. I don’t know why I’d even waste my time with that bitch.” He walked away with a scowl on his face. 

“You okay?” Jo flinched as Alex put a hand on her arm. “Hey, it’s okay. It’s just me.”

Jo looked up at him with wide eyes, “Can we go home?”

“Yeah.”

When they arrived back to the house, Jo was shivering from the cold. Her clothes had been soaked through when the rain started but she couldn’t bring herself to move out of the foyer. She heard Alex walk and shuffle around the house before he came back.

“ _Take off your clothes_.”

“What?” Jo’s heart dropped in fear.

“Not like that,” Alex sighed and handed her one of his t-shirts and a pair of short she’d left laying around. “Here. You need to change out of those wet clothes before you get sick.”

“Thanks,” Jo mumbled quietly and walked over to the bathroom to change into the dry items of clothing Alex had handed her. 

When she came out, Alex was sitting on the couch waiting for her, “You know I’d never hurt you like that right? You looked scared when I told you to take off your clothes.”

“I know,” Jo nodded. “You’re good. You’re one of the best people I know. I know that I’m safe with you. I just—I guess I was still thinking about earlier.”

“I’m sorry I left you alone. But he’s gone now and he’s never going to hurt you again. I swear,” Alex stood up. “Get some sleep.” 

——————

Days passed since that night that Garret had left. Sure enough, he’d packed his things and resigned from Grey Sloan quickly, never showing his face again. With the assurance that Garret wouldn’t show up again to threaten her, Alex released Jo from his service and had been doing his best to avoid her. Their interactions were limited to the mornings and evenings when they’d ride together to work. 

“You’re going on a date tonight,” Jo crossed her arms and leaned against the kitchen island. They had just gotten home about an hour ago and Jo watched as he got ready for his evening out. “With that girl from the bar?”

Alex nodded his head as he looked up from the coffee he was making, “I am.”

“Huh,” Jo looked away. “I didn’t think you’d say yes.”

“Why would I say no?” Alex paced his mug down on the counter. “You made it very obvious that slumming it with me is the last thing you’d rather be doing. At least, that’s what you told Edwards.”

“Alex. Please. It’s been four days,” Jo reached out for his arm, only to feel the sting of rejection when he pulled his arm away. “I didn’t mean it. Please, you have to believe me when I say that I didn’t mean it. I don’t feel suffocated by you. I—it’s me. I’m confused and I was just tired of everyone butting into our business.”

“So, tell me then. _What is this between us?_ And don’t lie to me. I may be a lot of really terrible things but I’m not a liar. What are we doing?” He interrogated. “Is this just a way for you to pass the time? Am I some joke to you? Some pet project that you mess around with so that you feel less lonely?”

“What? No. Alex it’s not like that,” Jo shook her head. “We’re friends. I care about you. I like being with you, but I can’t be  with you. I’m too messed up. I can’t... I can’t give more that what I’m giving right now. So, maybe you should go on that date. I guess it’s better for everyone if you stop wasting your time with me and find someone who can give you what you want.”

“Oh, come on. You need to stop it with that bullshit,” Alex shouted. He took a steadying breath to calm himself down and looked at her intensely. “ _I know you want me just as much as I want you_.”

“Yes, you’re right,” Jo confessed, eyes filling with tears. “ _I think I’m in love with you and that terrifies me_. It terrifies me, because I’ve never had someone to lose. But pursuing this, us, is dangerous. Because what happens if we fall apart? I can’t lose you. You are my best friend, my favorite person in the entire world and that scares me. Because you have the ability to hurt me like no one else can.”

“Jo,” Alex leaned close and placed his forehead against hers. “I’m not perfect, so I can’t promise that I won’t mess up. But I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. Not even my ex-wife. I feel for you more right now after months of friendship than I ever did with Izzie. Don’t you get it? I want you. I want everything with you. I know that might be a foreign concept to you, but I want  _you_ . I can’t stand to lose you either, so if you let me in, I’m gonna do my damn best every single to day make sure that we work. Because I can’t stand the thought of hurting you. It actually, physically, makes me feel sick to my stomach. You are everything I’ve ever wanted and needed and more and... I love you.”

Jo stepped back from Alex and paced back and forth for a moment as she contemplated his words. They would put so much at risk if they tried this. But if they tried this and it worked... she couldn’t even begin to imagine what her life would look like if this worked. No one, not one person had ever sincerely told her that they loved her. Her entire life she’d longed for the day when she’d hear those words directed at her. She began to have visions and dreams of what life with Alex would look like. What a future with someone who loved you looked like. 

Finally, Jo paused in her pacing and looked at Alex. Taking a deep breath, she took his face into her hands and brought his nose against hers, “I’m not good at this. I might mess it up, but I need you to not give on me if I do. Because I want a great big future with you.”

Alex’s face broke out into a grin and he brought their lips together. Kissing Jo felt right. It felt like coming home. He poured all of his emotions into the kiss, because he was historically bad with words and hoped that maybe this would be enough to convince her just how much he loved her. He wanted to express the joy he was feeling. He wanted to share the passion that was bubbling up underneath the surface. 

Jo felt it. She felt every emotion she’d been too afraid to experience. She felt every nerve ending tingle with excitement and anticipation. She felt him. She felt his passion and love. It was so overwhelming, she thought she might drown in it. She was so completely and utterly content, though, that she didn’t care. The world could fall apart around them, but as long as she had this, she’d be alright. 

After a few moments, Jo pulled away and stared at Alex with dark and lustful eyes, “ _Take off your clothes._ ”

“What?” Alex snorted a laugh.

“I said, _take off your clothes_ ,” Jo panted breathlessly. “What are you waiting for?”

“Wait. Jo, are you sure about this?” Alex looked at her skeptically, trying to hide his excitement at her words. 

“You’re sweet for asking, but yes. Take. Off. Your. Clothes.”

“Yes ma’am,” Alex chuckled and removed his shirt, reaching to pull Jo’s off her as well. 

——————

“Hey you.”

“Hi,” Jo smiled shyly as she blinked her eyes open. 

“Did you sleep well?”

“I slept great. Best sleep of my life,” Jo’s smile widened. “Could have to do with the fact that I got to sleep next to you.”

Alex’s face lit up, “Hmm, I could say the same thing.” Alex pulled Jo close and ran a hand up and down her bare back. “When I woke up this morning, for a split second I thought, this has to be a dream. But then I felt you and I could smell your shampoo and I knew that it was real. I’ve been laying here just trying to take it all in.”

Jo hummed happily and snuggled closer to Alex before jerking up and facing him, “Did you ever call to cancel your date last night?”

“Oh crap,” Alex’s eyes widened. “Well, I think she figured it out.” 

“Alex! You have to call her and explain,” Jo sat up in the bed. 

“And tell her what? ‘Sorry I stood you up last night but I was busy having sex with my best friend who I’m in love with. So, maybe it was for the best that we never went out,’” Alex replied smartly. Jo reached over and slapped Alex in the shoulder. “Ow! What? That’s the truth.”

Jo laid back down on the bed and turned to lean on her side, “So... what is this between us? Are we together?”

“I thought so,” Alex scrunched his eyebrows. “Was I supposed to ask?”

“I mean... it would’ve been nice,” Jo shrugged, eyes shining. 

“Okay, then,” Alex leaned on his side to look Jo in the eyes as she giggled slightly. “Jo Wilson, would you make the happiest guy on the planet and be girlfriend?” 

“You are such a dork,” Jo laughed and reached over to kiss Alex. “Yes.”

Alex grinned widely, “What do you say we call in sick today?”

“I say that sounds like a great idea.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who enjoyed this two-shot!


End file.
